Whiteout
by Grasshopper
Summary: [04seasons, Enishi x Kaoru] Kenshin never left Rakuninmura after Kaoru’s 'death.' As the two continue to move around Japan, Kaoru sees her first winter with Enishi.


**Title:** White(out)  
**Author:** Grasshopper (A.K.A. The Undertaker's Muse)  
**Rated:** PG-13  
**Series:** 04seasons  
**Warnings:** Het, angst, AU, mentions of character death.  
**Fandom:** Rurouni Kenshin  
**Spoilers:** Um…I'll just say the Jinchuu arc of the manga, to be safe.  
**Pairings:** Yukishirou Enishi x Kamiya Kaoru  
**Summary:** Kenshin never left Rakuninmura after Kaoru's "death." As the two continue to move around Japan, Kaoru sees her first winter with Enishi.  
**Author's Notes:** Basically, with this fic I'm exploring the possibilities of what might have happened had Kenshin never left Rakuninmura and the others never found Kaoru. While sad and somewhat depressing, it's still Enishi/Kaoru! -:snuggles beloved EnKa pairing:- Plus, my first fic in this fandom, hee!  
**Disclaimer:** All things _Rurouni Kenshin_ belong to Watsuki Nobuhiro-sensei. Grassy only lays claim to the plot.

* * *

**Winter: snow, heat**

At first, Kaoru had waited for her friends - for **Kenshin** - to come after her. One day after another after another… Kaoru gathered what information she could about the island where Enishi held her captive; as well as about the people the man surrounded himself with, few though they were.

Day after day after day…

Yet still, no one came. According to Enishi's information network, Kenshin remained insensate in the depths of Rakuninmura. Police forces were slowly making their moves, but by the time anyone discovered their location, Enishi planned for the two of them to be long gone.

And Kaoru continued to plan her escape, ignoring the seed of hopelessness and despair that slowly blossomed in the depths of her heart.

(Enishi said nothing of Kaoru's descent into depression, but did what he could to accommodate Battousai's latest victim. All the while, he cursed the murderer for stealing the smile from yet another innocent woman.)

* * *

"Where are we going?"

Enishi glanced over at the woman's dead tone. With each day that passed, Kamiya grew more and more despondent. Even nee-san seemed upset by the girl's depression, yet another of her husband's sins.

"We're leaving the island, that's all you need to know for now." Taking her arm Enishi led her onto the cargo ship, warning off the crewmen with a glare.

Kaoru distantly took notice of how the other men seemed to avoid Enishi, sure that could be of help to her escape plans. She'd think about it later, though, when her mind felt more focused.

* * *

And so the pattern went. Enishi led and Kaoru followed. From one place to another, as Enishi took care of "business" she wasn't privy to.

(Enishi often complained to his nee-san about just how much trouble it was to turn control of his business over to someone else. Despite that being a truth in itself, they both knew he was doing all he could to avoid the subject of Kamiya Kaoru.)

Finally, the two settled into yet another home. Kaoru had long given up asking where they were headed, but she wondered vaguely if she'd recognize anything were the area not currently in the heart of winter. It became their ritual for her to wake early to watch him train in the new-fallen snow before going in to cook.

(Despite Enishi and Tomoe-nee-san's hopes, Kaoru continued to wallow in her own despair. Although, Enishi was pleased to note, her cooking was slowly becoming more than tolerable with the effort she now put into it.)

* * *

Enishi watched intently as Kaoru finished serving their evening meal. Not bothering to show how his gaze unnerved her still, Kaoru murmured _Itadakimasu_ and ignored Enishi in favor of her food.

"Battousai is dead."

Kaoru's heavy heart froze at his blunt words, telling her that which she'd ignored for so long. Telling her what she'd already known…

"What will you do now?"

Kaoru loosened her grip on the chopsticks she held, forcing herself to continue eating.

_Could I return? Do I even want to, with Kenshin- Would they ever…_

Enishi forced himself not to look away from the now-crying woman as she silently continued her meal.

"I won't force you to make a decision. Unless you tell me otherwise, things will remain as they are now."

At that, Enishi began to dine, allowing silence to fill the air between them.

* * *

The following day, Kaoru distracted herself from thought by playing with the neighborhood children in the snow.

That night, after having warmed herself in the heat of the kitchen as she cleaned, Kaoru approached Enishi.

Letting her sleeping yukata fall to the floor as strong arms encircled her slim form, Kaoru let go of everything. She cried for herself, for her friends, for Kenshin, for Enishi…

Kaoru sobbed into Enishi's chest, releasing all the feelings she'd held back for too long. When she could cry no more, exhausted by her own venting, Kaoru collapsed against her companion, who tightened his arms around her instinctively.

Lowering them both to his futon, they settled comfortably, spooned together in solace. Kaoru soon drifted off to sleep, relaxed by the repetitive stroking of Enishi's hand on her side. Enishi joined her in slumber soon after.

* * *

**The End**


End file.
